Brassiere



.R. s. NEAL Aug. 4, 1936.

BRASSIERE Filed Aug. 12, 1935 a BY WW 107m TORNEY til Patented Aug. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oi-"Flo's Application August 12, 11935,

i No. 5,724

4 c. (on. 2-42) My invention relates to improvements in brassieres. It is particularly well adapted for use as a nursing brassiere.

Due of the objects of my invention is the provision in a brassiere of pocket portions each having novel means by which it may be opened for the extrusion of the enclosed breast, or held closed.

A further object or my invention is the provision of novel means for retaining the brassiere properly positioned on the person.

Another object of my inventionis the provision of novel anchoring means for the body of the brassiere, which can also be employed for supporting a sanitary napkin in operative position.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a brassire oi the kind described, which is simple, cheap, durable, not likely to get out oi order, which is easily and quickly applied to or removed from the person, which is sanitary, cleanly, well fitting and is comfortable to wear.

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the preferred embodiment of my invention,

' Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved brassire shown in its operative position on a form. and both pocket portions closed.

Hg. 2 is a rear elevation of my improved bras-= siere shown in its operative position, on a form.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, one pocket portion being shown partly opened and the front flap removed from the belt.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the plane or the line dl oi Fig. 2, showing the rear flap held in its folded position.

Similar characters of reference designate similar parts in the difierent views.

The body of the brassire comprises a fabric strip l which is adapted to encircle the bust, the strip having means for releasably fastening together its front end edges by any suitable means, such means, as illustrated, being the well known .Zipper" fastening comprising the two rows of interlocking teeth 2 mounted respectively along the abutting front edges of the strip l, and connected with each other and disconnected by the Zipper sliding member 3.

The front portion of the body I is provided with two pocket portions 4 each of which is adapted to receive a breast, and each of which is provided with a slit 5 which extends from and including the upper edge of the portion 4 a substantial distance downwardly, whereby the pocket portion may be opened, as shown at the left in 3. for the extrusion or the breast when nursing.

For holding the slits 5 closed the edges thereof are provided respectively with the "Zipper teeth 6 with which cooperates the sliding connecting member l. i

For supporting thebcdy i, there are provided two shoulder straps d the rear ends of which are connected to the Touch portion of the body l, and the front ends or which are each provided with two branches a. one pair of branches 8 being attached to the upper portion of one pocket portion 3 at opposite sides of the adjacent slit 5. The other pair of branches ii are similarly attached to the other pocket Figs. 1 and 5i.

Below the body 6 is an extensible and contractible belt iii the ends oi. which are provided with releasable fastening means or any usual type, as a hook it engaging a button it.

Attached at its upper end to the lower back portion of the body 6 is a flap it which depends and is provided below the body with a transverse loop M through which slidably extends the belt ill with which the flap 03 has holding engagement.

' Another fiap iii is provided at its upper end with a loop it ugh which slldably extends the belt ill. The flap it is removable from the belt Ill when the ends of the latter are disconnected from each other.

Alternating between the ps l8 and it are straps it the lower ends or which are provided with loops iii through which the belt ill extends and is slldable. The upper ends of the straps ii are attached to the body 9 respectively below the pocket portions 6 and alternating with the flaps it and iii in position on the belt to.

The straps ii and the flap it serve as anchoring means for holding the body 6 from moving upwardly out oi operative position.

Both flaps it and it depend belowthe belt Ill and are adapted to have attached to them and to support a sanitary napkin, not shown.

When the napkin is not used, the flap l may be removed from the belt it, and the flap l3 may have its lower tree portion below the belt to folded upwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, and in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the inner side of the free end portion of the flap it having a socket I9 which releasably receives a button iastened to the inner side of the back portion of the body I. The socket l3 and button 20' are of the usual glove fastener type, as shown.

When it is desired to open one of the'pocket portion has is shown in i5 portions 4, the adjacent Zipper" operating membar I is slid downwardly the desired distance, as shown .at the left in Fig. 3. The branches 9 of the adjacent strap 8 holds the body of the brassiere properly positioned while the pocket portion is open, as well as when the latter is closed. The straps I1 and the flap I! hold the body from working upwar By having the belt l slidably mounted in the loops ll, l6 and I8 of the flaps l8 and I and the straps ll respectively, the belt l0 may be contracted or extended as to peripheral length without disturbing the proper fitting of the body I of the brassiere.

The flap l3 serves the double function of anchoring the body I to the belt l0 and of supporting the sanitary napkin when the latter is used. When the napkin is not used, the flap 13 may be inwardly folded and secured, as above described and as shown in Fig. 4, in the folded position.

I do not limit my invention to the structure shown and described, as many modifications of my invention, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is:--

. l. A brassiere having a body adapted to encircle the bust and having two front pocket portions adapted to receive the breasts, and shoulder straps attached at their ends to the front and back portions of said body, a belt below said body adapted to embrace the waist, and two flaps adapted to be attached to and support a sanitary napkin and having holding engagement at the front and rear respectively with said belt, one of said flaps being attached to said body.

2. A brassiere having a body adapted to encirclethe bust and having two front pocket portions adapted to receive the breasts, and shoulder straps attached at their ends to the front and back portions of said body, a belt below said body adapted to embrace the waist and having means for releasably fastening together its end portions, and 5 two flaps adapted to be attached to and support a sanitary napkin, one of said flaps being removably and slidably mounted on said belt at the front, the other of said flaps having sliding holding engagement at the back with said belt and being attached to said body.

3. A brassiere having a body adapted to encircle the bust and having two front pocket portions adapted to receive the breasts, and shoulder straps attached at their ends to the front and 15 back portions of said body, a belt below said body adapted to embrace the waist, and a flap attached to the back portion of said body and depending below and having holding engagement with said belt and adapted to have its lower free end portion attached to a sanitary, and when de-- tached therefrom being adapted to be folded upwardly, and having means for releasably holding it in the upwardly folded position.

4. A brassiere having a body adapted to encircle the bust and having two front pocket portions adapted to receive the breasts, a belt below said body and adapted to embrace the waist, two flaps one attached to said body at the back and having holding engagement with and depending from said belt, the other flap having releasable holding engagement with said belt at the front and depending from said belt, said flaps being adapted to be attached to and support a sanitary napkin, and two straps at opposite sides respectively of the front one of said flaps and having holding engagement with said belt and attached to said body.

ROY S. NEAL. 

